For many years, high pressure low density polyethylenes, which are highly branched polymers, were considered to be the resin of choice for commercial shrink film applications. The key property that facilitates the use of high pressure low density polyethylene for these applications is the long chain branching. The long chain branching makes possible the development of high melt stresses, which can be frozen into the film at the frost line during tubular film extrusion. In other words, sufficient strain hardening occurs during tubular film extrusion, for example, to generate in the film the frozen stresses that are reguired for shrink film applications. Under shrink tunnel conditions, the frozen-in stresses cause the film to shrink around the item to be packaged thus securing it firmly. These resins also have a relatively low stress relaxation rate, which facilitates a retention of the shrink forces needed to provide support for the packaged goods.
Unlike high pressure low density polyethylene, narrow molecular weight distribution linear low density polyethylene commonly used for tubular film extrusion has only short chain branching, the branches corresponding in length to the alpha--olefin that is copolymerized with ethylene to produce it. Without long chain branching, however, narrow molecular weight distribution linear low density polyethylene stresses relax too rapidly during melt extrusion to provide the high melt stresses, which can be frozen into the film. This is particularly true of the transverse direction of the narrow molecular weight distribution linear low density polyethylene film, which is stretched much less than the machine direction during film extrusion and, therefore, has virtually no shrinkage in that direction. As a result, narrow molecular weight distribution linear low density polyethylene is unacceptable for shrink film application because it sags around the material to be packaged instead of holding it securely.
Manufacturers of linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) were, therefore, seeking to identify an LLDPE, which was suitable for shrink film applications; was easier to process than the high pressure low density polyethylene resins; and, finally, would result in a film, which would outperform high pressure resin films in terms of those properties most desirable in shrink films.